Exploring the concept of acting 'in the patient's best interests'

Health-care professionals often use the term 'in his/her best interests' to justify their actions. However, few people can provide a satisfactory explanation as to what is meant by 'interests'. This article explores the concept of interest and identifies two key interpretations. The first is easily identifiable as being part of sentience, as it is concerned with the capacity to feel pain or pleasure. The second is more difficult to grasp as it has more to do with the intrinsic value of personhood--it is a matter of judgment. Both types of interest warrant our moral concern and as health-care professionals we should all have some knowledge of what it means to have interests.